Vendee Globe - It's a Merry Christmas as Le Cléac’h claims narrow leadBy Vendee Globe, ,
10:17 PM Tue 25 Dec 2012
In the Vendee Globe, it was the night before Christmas when the top two skippers exchanged positions once more, Armel Le Cléac’h taking over the lead by a mere 2.5 miles. Other than for Swiss skipper Bernard Stamm who is climbing north towards New Zealand and better weather, the entire Vendée Globe fleet are set to spend their Christmas Day sharing the same present, strong wind. ...[more]

Vendee Globe - Stamm, Cheminées Poujoulat head for New Zealand + VideoBy Vendee Globe, ,
1:24 AM Tue 25 Dec 2012
In the Vendee Globe, unable to stay where he is because of the imminent arrival of storm force conditions, Bernard Stamm was forced to sail to New Zealand on Monday afternoon. Stamm has been anchored at Sandy bay, south of Enderby Island, 200 miles south of New Zealand, since Sunday morning, as he tries to repair his hydrogenerators. He will attempt to finish his repairs and re-start the race ...[more]

Vendee Globe - Stamm diverts to make repairsBy Vendee Globe, ,
12:17 AM Mon 24 Dec 2012
Vendee Globe 2012-13 skipper Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat) has found shelter in the Auckland Islands, 250 miles south of New Zealand, on Sunday morning, after diverting at around 1700hrs UTC on Saturday to try to make repairs to his boat, ostensibly the hydrogenerators. ...[more]

Vendee Globe skipper Mike Golding satisfies another safety gateBy Emily Caroe, ,
9:17 PM Sat 22 Dec 2012
Vendee Globe skipper Mike Golding has this morning, some 500 miles to the South West of Hobart, Tasmania, satisfied another safety gate, Australia East, one of the two under Australia which are positioned to keep the Vendée Globe fleet within reach of the rescue services. ...[more]

Vendee Globe - Mike Golding struggles to find speed on boats aheadBy Vendee Globe, ,
8:23 PM Sat 22 Dec 2012
Vendee Globe skipper Mike Golding (Gamesa) faces a race this morning not to get entangled in the bubble of high pressure south of Tasmania and watch Jean Le Cam (SynerCiel) sail away. Golding was not alone in scratching his head as to why Le Cam dived south 36 hours ago. It may be clearer this morning, but in his morning message Golding was confident he would also escape with Le Cam. ...[more]

Vendee Globe Race 2012-2013 - Cheminées Poujoulat's winch broken againBy Vendee Globe, New Zealand ,
4:15 AM Sat 22 Dec 2012
The Vendee Globe Race 2012-2013 has been a test of will power for skipper Bernard Stamm, who’s once again in quandary after the central winch of his boat Cheminées Poujoulat was broken again ...[more]

Vendee Globe - What separated the best from the rest? + VideoBy Vendee Globe, ,
5:32 AM Fri 21 Dec 2012
In the Vendee Globe, sailing their own match race into the open wilds of the Pacific, the leading duo have begun to extend away again. But not from each other. Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire) said he could see Francois Gabart (Macif), no more than two miles away they passed the Auckland Islands, on the radar overnight. ...[more]

Vendee Globe - Battle intensifies in the PacificBy Matthew Pryor / Vendee Globe, ,
11:59 PM Thu 20 Dec 2012
In the Vendee Globe, much like two boxers standing toe-to-toe and swinging from the hip, Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire) and Francois Gabart (Macif) are trading blows with every ranking. Le Cléac’h landed one overnight – their day in the southern hemisphere - as they approached the Auckland Islands. Le Cléac’h is 2.5 miles ahead and just two miles northeast of Gabart. ...[more]

Vendee Globe - Up the mast as front five set to stretch away + VideoBy Vendee Globe, ,
4:33 AM Thu 20 Dec 2012
In the Vendee Globe, if you have neglected one part of your preparation, for skipper or boat, the Race will find you out. It is a race that always rewards the ready and the lucky. Halfway around the world, the weather gods continue to smile on the leading boats, but Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac-Paprec 3), in his third Vendée, needed all his courage and physical training to climb his mast. ...[more]

Vendee Globe - Mike Golding, Gamesa pass mid-pointBy Gamesa Sailing Team, ,
2:31 AM Thu 20 Dec 2012
With the Vendee Globe leaders in the Southern Pacific Ocean, and having passed the mid-point of the Race (theoretical course distance of 24,394 miles), Mike Golding can feel that the second half of the race is now on his horizon. The past week has been pretty uncompromising for the British skipper. ...[more]

Vendee Globe - Perilous ascent for JP Dick, Virbac Paprec 3By Laurent et Anne-Charlotte, ,
2:05 AM Thu 20 Dec 2012
For a number of days in the Vendee Globe, JP Dick has been unable to use the headsails on Virbac-Paprec 3 (small spinnaker and small gennaker). The part holding the top of the sail was broken. Despite the southern latitude, Jean-Pierre Dick climbed to the top of the mast during the night (France). ...[more]

Vendée Globe - Francois Gabart fights backBy Vendee Globe, ,
9:06 PM Wed 19 Dec 2012
Vendée Globe - How quickly the hunter becomes the hunted. Francois Gabart (MACIF) re-took his lead on Wednesday morning, 15 hours after losing it to Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire). They also both passed the halfway mark on the theoretical mileage for the race and seem destined to play cat and mouse round the world. Just as Armel The Jackal chewed his way to Gabart slowly, likewise Gabart foug ...[more]

Vendee Globe - Gamesa's Mike Golding hopes he is stopping the rotBy Emily Caroe, Pacific ,
7:24 PM Wed 19 Dec 2012
As the leaders of the Vendée Globe pass the theoretical midpoint of the race this morning, Mike Golding is hoping he will now have stopped what he calls the ‘rot’: losing miles to the skippers ahead and behind. ...[more]

Icom, official radio communication technical partner to Vendée GlobeBy Ian Lockyer, Herne Bay ,
7:44 AM Wed 19 Dec 2012
Icom UK are really pleased to let you know that the Icom family, through its distributor Icom France, is Official Technical Partner to this prestigious round-the-world single-handed yacht race. Icom France was chosen to be the events Official Radio Communication technical partner in 2008 by the Vendée Globe organisation. ...[more]

Vendee Globe - Bumps, scrapes and battering continues + VideoBy Vendee Globe, ,
5:19 AM Wed 19 Dec 2012
In the Vendee Globe, the leader Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire) and Francois Gabart (Macif) were just 6.3 miles apart after becoming the first two skippers into the Pacific Ocean. It is more of a psychological than a physical line for the skippers, the point at which they begin to feel they are on the way home. ...[more]

Vendée Globe - Banque Populaire retakes leadBy Vendee Globe, ,
12:50 AM Wed 19 Dec 2012
Vendée Globe skipper Armel the Jackal has taken the lead with 37 days, 20 hours, 70 miles to the longitude of Hobart. They call him The Jackal because of his relentless hunting exploits in French sailing races and Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire) is showing why in this Vendée Globe. ...[more]

Vendee Globe - Ocean match racing and air guitars? + VideoBy Vendee Globe, ,
4:42 AM Tue 18 Dec 2012
In the Vendee Globe, after 37 days, three hours and 13,984.72 nautical miles of racing (as of 1500 UTC) Francois Gabart (Macif) was just 15.8 miles ahead of Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire) at the front. Behind them are three more private battles, races within the race, that have been going on almost since the start. ...[more]

Vendee Globe - Leaders head for East Australia GateBy Vendee Globe, ,
12:24 AM Tue 18 Dec 2012
In the Vendee Globe, after enjoying the best last 24 hours in the fleet at the 0400hrs (0500hrs French time) ranking, but slowing after the end of his complicated relationship with Claudia, fourth-placed Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) dived south on Monday morning. It was almost simultaneous gybing with Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat) 45 miles behind on the same track. ...[more]

Vendee Globe: A portmanteau and ‘gunslinging uncles’, what's next?By Vendee Globe, ,
11:39 PM Sun 16 Dec 2012
In the Vendee Globe, like many close relationships, the two French leaders are close to earning their own portmanteau: Gabac’h perhaps. Although, Armel has led the race for more days and may prefer Cléart, or if he is going the Brangelina route, Armois. ...[more]